That Warm Fuzzy Feeling

It's the time of year when cold nights and mornings, snow flurries, and blustery winds begin to penetrate through layers of clothing and leave us all a little chilled. What better way to spend an evening curled up on the couch, than with a warm spiced drink that can also keep those seasonal sniffles away? Here's a recipe for my favorite home sniffles remedy drink, and it's darn yummy too.

It begins with some spices: cinnamon, anise, and cardamom (optional - I added it to the recipe because I love it). Cinnamon is a natural anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial, and anise and cardamom aids in digestion and stomach issues.

Next, ginger. Ginger is my favorite natural year-round health boosting addition. Pop a chunk in a cup of tea, or finely chop and add to stir fry or soup for a delicious zing with countless benefits. Ginger aids in detox, is anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial, and can calm an upset stomach. (Ever wonder why your mom gave you ginger ale when you had a stomach bug? Because there's actually ginger in it, and ginger is good for your stomach)

Finally, fruits. Oranges (I used tangerines, because they happened to look particularly delicious today), lemons, and pear add natural sweetness and immune boosting vitamins, as well as essential oils from their peels. The full recipe is below, but basically you bring everything to a boil, then cover and let steep, and drink warm or cold. Or, if you'd like to keep a batch ready for the next day, put everything in the slow cooker the night before. Tadaaa!!! Hope you stay all warm and toasty this winter.

Sniffles Stopper Spiced Drink

2" ginger root, peeled & cut into several pieces

2 cinnamon sticks

1 star anise

1-3 green cardamom pods (optional)

2 slices orange, with rind

1 sliver of lemon peel

2 slices of pear

4 cups water

-Add all ingredients to a small saucepot & bring to a boil

-Cover & let sit until warm (drinking temperature). 

-Enjoy!

PS- As mentioned above, this drink can be made in a slow cooker (crock pot) and stay warm for you all day. I recommend doubling the recipe listed above and preparing the night before if you choose to cook it this way.

Fresh.

I've posted before about the Broadway French Market, where I stop by each Tuesday and Friday on my lunch break to pick up amazing local produce and eats. 

This Tuesday's haul brought Romanesco cauliflower, fresh onions, a beautiful bunch of radishes, and a stunning head of purple cabbage. 

Thanks to a few of my favorite spices and seasonings, they all came together into a wonderful meal. 

Knowing that I've made something delicious from fresh, local, organic produce makes me feel great before I even eat it. 

Find a farmers market! Go local! Go fresh!!

Need A Granita?

So.... This is pretty much the simplest dessert you can imagine, and is the perfect refreshing, healthy alternative to ice cream and other summer treats. The best part? 4 ingredients, and it basically makes itself. No special equipment necessary! 

PINEAPPLE, CITRUS, AND BASIL GRANITA

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cubed fresh pineapple

Juice of 1/2 a lemon 

1/2 tsp lemon zest

4-5 basil leaves

-Chiffonade basil

-Add all ingredients to blender

-Increase speed in increments until all ingredients are well blended 

-Strain liquid from blender into flat baking dish, not exceeding 12" in diameter

-Place dish in freezer

-Stir, break up, and mash mixture with a fork every 30-40 minutes until it is completely crystallized and can be fluffed with a fork 

-Transfer to lidded storage container, or serve immediately and enjoy! 

Happy summer:) 

Kale Yourself

Kale is my life right now.
I'm not new to the bandwagon, but I am on an extra kale-y kick this month, it seems.
I've been making juice, kale chips, braised kale, kale salads, kale soup....

I love to eat whatever is in season. Usually, though, I end up eating it so much that I'm sick of it after a few weeks. Which, in the summer months, is fine, because there are so many abundant different types of fruits and veggies this time of year.

Fresh is best!

Bein' Cheesy

Through a family member who lives in New Jersey, I heard about this amazing farm that makes their own cheeses. Valley Shepherd Creamery has a great, fairly new location in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, and I was able to take a lovely early spring stroll and stop in to pick up some delicious creamy goodies.
They also had a tasting for Jeni's ice cream- locally handmade in small batches-and it was amazing! Check out jenis.com for locations where you can buy a pint of one of these priceless palate pleasers.